Vaccine development for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an alphacoronavirus of pigs first isolated in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. The disease spread to many parts of Europe and Asia and recently emerged in North America where it killed more than 7 million pigs. PEDV is highly infectious and survives well in the environment. This makes it difficult to control though biosecurity and management practices.

As a significant threat to the Canadian swine industry, resources have been invested into disease control including early and rapid detection, disease surveillance, and enhanced biosecurity.

Over the last two years VIDO-InterVac successfully developed a vaccine for PEDV which is currently being commercialized and manufactured by an industry partner.

Current research is focused on a next generation vaccine and improved diagnostics.